Ex-Scorpions Drummer James Kottak Dead at 61

James Kottak, the drummer for Kingdom Come and former member of the Scorpions, has passed away at the age of

61, as confirmed by TMZ.

The Scorpions shared their condolences on social media, calling Kottak a “wonderful human being, a great musician,

and a loving family man.” They referred to him as their “brother from another mother” and expressed how much he

will be missed.

Born in Louisville, Kottak had an extensive career in hard rock, playing with bands such as Buster Brown, Montrose,

McAuley Schenker Group, Dio, and Warrant. He found significant success with Kingdom Come, whose self-titled

1988 debut album reached No. 12 on the Billboard 200 and went gold, thanks to the hit single “Get It On,” which

drew comparisons to Led Zeppelin.

Kottak joined the Scorpions in 1996 and remained their longest-serving drummer until 2016, outperforming

Herman Rarebell’s tenure. He contributed to several studio albums, including Eye II Eye, Unbreakable, Humanity:

Hour I, Sting in the Tail, and Return to Forever, before being let go and replaced by Mikkey Dee from Motörhead.

Kottak faced long-term struggles with alcoholism, which led to his 2014 arrest and imprisonment in Dubai,

ultimately resulting in his departure from the Scorpions. He sought help at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Centre Antigua

and maintained a positive relationship with his former bandmates despite the changes.

Reflecting on his departure, Kottak stated in 2018, “Mikkey came into the band and it was going to be temporary. It

wasn’t until later that they decided to part ways. It didn’t feel like being fired… I’m so grateful to them. Put it this

way: 21 years is a lifetime.”

In 2022, Kottak attracted attention during a controversial Kingdom Come performance at the Sweden Rock Festival.

Black Star Riders’ Robbie Crane commented on the situation, acknowledging Kottak’s personal struggles: “The only

person that can save James is James. He has to want it.”